Method of building and construction for underground railroads



G. JANSSEN Feb. 20, 1934.

METHOD OF BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION FOR UND ERGROUND RAILROADS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13. 1931 Snnentor Guido (fa/M42912 Feb. 20, 1934. JANSSEN 1,948,114

METHOD OF BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION FOR UNDERGROUND RAILROADS Filed May 13. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zhwentor fi wz'do Jawsem I? amM Feb. 20, 1934. e. JANSSEN 1,948,114

METHOD OF BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION FOR UNDERGROUND RAILROADS Filed May 13. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 fi uido Jnqwm (Ittorneg G. JANSSEN Feb. 20, 1934.

METHOD OF BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION FOR UNDERGROUND RAILROADS Filed May 15, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @zu'do Jamns'en/ Patented Feb. 20, 1934 METHOD OF BUILDING. AND CONSTRUC- TIGN FOR UNDERGROUND RAILROADS Guido Janssen, Charlottenburg, Germany Application May 13, 1931, Serial No. 537,182, and in Germany May 13, 1930' 9 Claims.

This invention relates to methods of and constructions for underground railroads generally known as subways.

In general, the method consists therein that a provisional construction of the subway is made and thereupon provisional supporting members are removed, and after their removal, a permanent construction replaces the temporary supports, the outer shell remaining throughout, first during the primary entrance of the shell into the ground and also during the various consecutive steps of the construction of the tunnel within this outer shell.

More particularly, the method consists therein that preliminarily the walls and the roof are formed by means of corrugated members. which form a longitudinally arranged shaft on which the respective members are telescopically pushed forward and form thereby a shell in which a provisional supporting frame is arranged. Thereafter a second protecting layer of corrugated members is provided, and thereafter a further protecting layer of corrugated members is provided. When these protecting corrugated members have been inserted and properly positioned, the foundation supports, and also the construction of the normal supports with the supporting members placed thereon are provided, and. the construction of the provisional supporting frames takes place. Thereupon, the remaining protective layer is applied and strengthening takes place, followed by completion of the floor by filling in with building materials between andover the supportingfoundation, the building up of the walls and the stamp ing, spraying or pressing of the ceiling.

The construction underlying the invention consists in the exterior shell composed of corrugated members, each arranged in an inclined manner, with the lowermost end of one member overlapped by the uppermost portion of the adjacent member, and having therein, first a temporary supporting construction, and upon the removal of the same, a permanent supporting construction, including the base, side walls and roof or ceiling.

The object of the invention in its preferred form is to provide a very facile method of constructing underground railway tunnels, so that the tunnel can be bored progressively by being forced into the earth mass and then carried on in its construction by first the provisional supporting means and finally substituted by the final construction.

Further objects of this invention are to, DID:

vide means for constructing subways whereby the subsurface of the earth mass is telescopically bored by a metal shall and auxiliary supporting means are used within the shell to joist up the earth surrounding the same, then substituting permanent supporting means as the boring of the subsurface progresses, to provide a, plurality of superposedinterlocking plates inclined against the subsurface so as to form a telescopically bored opening within subsurface, said plates being temporarily retained in position by the auxiliary framework, to provide a plurality of superposed corrugated plates serving as guides for movement of successive plates for driving into the subsurface of the earth mass, to provide overlapping corner guides for attachment to the fiangedends of the driving plates whereby a rectangular structure is attained for driving into said subsurface, to provide an equalization device for guiding the plates into the earth mass on an even plane, to provide adjustable means for lifting and bracing said auxiliary frame, to provide wedging means for securing said adjustable means whereby said latter means are retained in any desired firmly set position, to provide sealing means for covering the overlapping joints of the interlocked cutting plates whereby muck or earth is prevented from escaping into the shell, and also for cementing or concreting the surface of the core during the construction of the tunnel thereof, to provide a method of removing material from the tunnel as the boring of the earth mass progresses and'during the construction thereof, and also for transporting or supplying equipment and building material to said' tunnel.

The invention has other objects which will be clear from the specification and drawings and the invention will be further described hereinafterand finally pointed outin the claims;

In the drawings, Figure 1. is a longitudinal view showing the various steps in the method of construction in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a section taken approximately at line. 22 of Fig. 1.

Figure v3 is a section taken approximately at line 3-,-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged partial view of. the outer shell taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section taken on 55 of Figure 4. a V V Figure 6 is a top view looking in the'direction of the arrows shown in Figure 4 on the line marked 6--6. ,7

Figure 7 isa partial section of the roof construction and the member supporting the same.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the supporting memher in Fig. '7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged view of the part of the temporary construction shown in Figure 2 on line 9-9.

Figure 10 is an end view thereof, and

Figure 11 is a cross sectional view of a roof member used in accordance with this invention.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, adjacent to a boring shaft in the earth mass, an auxiliary frame 1 is erected, which is shown clearly in Figure 2. Over the ceiling beam 27, and the lateral supports 3, there are pushed poling plates 4 in such a manner that they force a separation of the ground. Beneath the plates 4 further plates 4* are arranged which, by means of hydraulic devices, are forced forwardly into the ground. The guiding follows in accordance with the example shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 by means of corrugated plates, by which the single corrugations act as guides for the plates. On the outer part of the beams and the columns there are arranged equalization members or guides 5, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, which are beveled towards the outer part, so that the corrugated plates which are interlocked are forced forward, and are so forced forward with an increasing inclination into the earth face to face with the flanges of the beams so as to effect a straight bore into the earth mass. The earth masses below the plates 4 are then removed in any convenient manner. After the removal of about one layer of earth of about 1.5 to 2 meters, a further auxiliary supporting frame is constructed at the face of the tunnel to take care of the subsequent boring into the earth mass. In case several supporting frames are erected as shown in that portion of Figure 1 indicated by A, then there is provided as is shown in part B of Figure 1, a protecting layer 6, and this is arranged on the roof, on the walls and upon the floor of the shaft constructed, which protecting layer may be of any suitable material, such as concrete. Upon the hardening of this protecting layer, then in part indicated by 6: in Figure 1, a layer '7 of several plies of cement or concrete flooring is arranged in the well-known manner so that flaps are left free which later serve as a good sealing means with the end layers, which serve to make the parts waterproof or water-tight. Upon this protecting layer, another protecting layer 8 is placed. However, the arrangement of this sealing and the further protecting layer is only upon the floor and only partially along the walls, so that the upper part of the walls remain free for the next step in the tunneling and the building operation. Upon the second protecting layer 3, there are arranged foundation joists 9 for the final supporting columns, and these joists are shown in the part marked D of Figure 1. When 1y set on the layers 6 and '7, there follows the construction of the final supporting frames, as shown in Figure 3, in which the supports 10' are placed on the lower beams or joists 9 and which supports 10 are forced against the roof beams 12 and against the roof by means of hydraulic presses or jacks 11, so that an absolutely secure and tight contact is obtained, and a lowering or other movement of the earth mass is entirely prevented. The lateral supports 10 are placed upon a step or recess 13 of the beams 9 in such a manner that they coact on their inner sides with an abutment 14 after they have been connected with the-ceiling or roof beams 12, and underwedging and a good understamping in can take place to prevent any collapse or undermining of the earth around the frame. The central supports or girders 12 are firmly set against the ceiling by means of auxiliary members 15, while the roof of the tunnel is kept rigid by means of provisional supports 10 and hydraulic devices, which'latter are properly understamped. There follows then the section indicated at D of Figure 1, in which section the roof may be sealed by means of wrought-iron plates 16 which are pressed upon the brackets 19 (Fig. 7) of the auxiliary support, whereupon the plates are secured in their position by means of block timbers 1'7 and wedges 18. Then follows the permanent erection of the beams 12 and the girders l2, whereupon after the completion of this construction, the timber 17 and wedges 18 can be removed as also the brackets 19, from the supports 3, 20, 21, 22 and 23. Then all of the auxiliary frames are removed from the completely erected final supporting frames, so that, as shown in the section F, the frames lying between the joists 9 are removed, whereupon the floor as shown in the section G of Figure 1 is stamped,

whereby the longitudinal slots provided in the floor provide a good connection of the single joists. In the section H of Figure 1, the walls and the roof are completed so that in the sec tion I of Figure l, the completed tunnel is ready These I The provisional frames as shown in Figure 2 consist, as already mentioned, of several supporting columns indicated by the reference characters 3, 20, 21 on one side of the frame and 22, 23 and 3 on the other side of the frame, as

shown in Fig. 2. Both of these parts are supported on hard wood beams 24 and 25 and are braced against each other by means of a set screw 26. The roof beams also consist of two parts indicated by 27 and 28 and to these the supports are bolted on as shown by 60 in Fig. 4.,

These braces are set in the position shown in Figure 2 to prevent any possible collapse of earth on the walls of the tunnel. In order to transfer evenly the side pressure exerted against member 3 to the base 29 and to the cap 30, there are arranged sloping struts 31 and 32 which are preferably strengthened by means of a fourth beam 33. During the building in of the provisional frames, the wooden beams are first pressed away from each other by means of a set screw 26 and,

thereupon the roof beams are pressed upwardly by means of jacking or hydraulic devices so that an aftersliding or falling of the earth cannot possibly take place. 7

The screw jacking or lifting device is indicated in Figure 10. After forcing the supports 20 upwardly, the screw rod of the hydraulic lifting jack is secured by a safety device and is adapted so that the pressure, after the supports have taken their proper position, may be released. In order, also, that the bracing of the driven Walls.

nemesis :3

- sides may have .a. corresponding. movement,-. cortween :two angle irons 35,-.as shownziniFig. 110. These .angle irons: have longitudinal slots whereby the fastening screws .62 :canzbe 1 changed .in

I accordance with the. upward pressure of: the. .supporting frames and thereby allow for achange in position. of the strut After theisupportjing frames 20 and the struts'f32 haveatakemtheir proper position, then by means/of twocwedges 36-a-nd 37 theibase is secured iniits position towards the bottom-sothat a goodibearing-.is.-.ob-

tained. The wedges 136 :and T37 .also ppQSe the stresses exertedion member "-20, by :being shammered .firmly into :the shoe in avhieh they :fit.

' The hydraulic jack .:and the angle ggui'de slot .be-

tweenxthe angleirons =arei.builtauponia plate 38 which is fastened to the ties .-or rbeams .;.by means of ledge screws 39.

The bracing-cf the two i fra-mes against -.-each other is .done by .means i of :a -eross-;hea'd :-beam 40 shown in :Figure v2 -which, afterrthe construction of t-he'roof supports or beams .iisvremoved rirom its upper--position;;andiistransferredmo the small brackets '41, shown in .Figure .i2,.= so as .to equalize :the loading stresses iexerted :on 113138 supporting columns '21 .andi'22.

A special problem is presented and a special solution :is providedin-connection .-with the corners-of the walls in respect to thetelescopically in Figures :4 and '6, there arearranged :angle :irons A2 .shown particularly in Fig. 4 for sealing the cornersof the -tunneliand which are slidably connected with the fila-nges 43 of the corrugate'dplates l,=as shown in iliig. 4. For'instance, as showngin :Fig. 16,:the .plates are provided with longitudinal slots -44- incwhich rivets 45 :(shown in-Fig. 4) are guided :asorthat :a movement of the -angle membersfli2 .andxthe flanges 43 may take place in respect to :each other, during the advancement of :the .-corners and of the corrugated plates. Under :such .conditions there is a certain .amount I of atolerance between the driving plates :4 during s the rplOGBSS of telescopically boring the earth=mass.

' The concreting of :the roof, as shown :in FEig. 3 takes place in such fashion that :the :flanges of the roof supports are provided with suitable wooden framework, such, for instance, as .-a-re crete is then stamped in, 'in the intermediate :space or it may :be pressed :in, or it may be sprayedim depending upon-"the particular-facilities at i the disposal of the builders.

In Figs. '7 and 8 there is shown -on an -enlarged scale the construction of the l=br-ackets 19 which are used'for retaining the elongated timbers 1'7. These timbers support the plates 16 --and thereby--assist in sealing the roof. The bracket 19 is provided with angle plates 46, which are joined to the angle irons 47. Both the angle plates 46 and the angle irons 47 are connected to the supporting column 20 by bolts or screws, as shown.

It is to be noted that after the roof has been concreted and the plates 16 are permanently set therein, the timber 17 and wedges 18 may be removed.

Instead of the walls being formed of corrugated plates there is preferably provided as shown in Fig. 11, a profile angle iron structure.

J This is substantially a U-shaped profile with :the rflanges r48 :bent outwardly. and to :these are connected glateral xfianges .49. @216 ,of these Pfianges carries ;a :tongue :50, and :the settler a ;groove :1 for :interlocking with a .-.structure :of the =.same ;:pro'file .but of smaller size. By the interlocking :of :such .-;a profile structure with others, ethe .rguiiding ;takes place ,not only by means of the grooved sides .52, but also by means of projections 53 provided with .astep 54 and :asguidingsuriace 55 .sozthat the above. profilesmayarest. one :upon, another, being. guided by :their ledges :passing between the step 5i :and :the -.surface 55 .of :t-he .adjacent irons .;or :profilestructure.

YInithe middle of theroofythere are arranged :support-ing corrugatedaplates; beams or :ties with iequalgi-zing plates which slide one upon :another :as :shownd-n Fig.

:If there is any :danger of sand .or the like escaping through the joints :or overlaps, ior. instance at A4 -:,and at :61, then .in. order vto stop up :the i'leaks and prevent any loss of .sand or dirt,=-a:cementing (not shown) of'the joints or .overlaps .may be carried-out, in-such manner, that, ffor example, core :material .is brought :to 'the-outsideibymeans ofapipes swhich arachn- .ducted :to :the outside through the overlapping, thereby :sealing the :j oints I or =lappings1with :the more material.

Furthermore, insteadof :theibuilding out, OT-31.05 :of the =muckingiout at the face of the tunnel =as=the telescoping :process progresses, according ito the method of:utilizing a-shiel'd, a process :for solidifying-the: concrete aor stone may, be used in which the 'layers or :stone may be formed at @1 suitable intermediate:spacesby means or" sprayed or conducted hardening fluid and preferably several ilayersior parts of layers may be .pro- :duced, one :behind the :other. "The removal of :the earth:-masslis done 'f-rom top to bottom by 3. which procedure it is again .taken care .of by the -prearr-angement of "further hardening layers. is

For the removal and transportation of the muckiand of the'building material, transportingmachinery extending through several stories is provided or a suitable :track may be utilized. :Oneupper track= may be use'd'for the-removal of muck while another :lower track may be used *for'the "t-ransportationof material whereby the 31:25 lower :trackis arranged at such a position that I work canibe done beneath it. usually used fonconcrete structures. "Thercon- :It I is to :be noted that the invention in its .=pre'ferred=embodiment consists in telescopically driving by hydraulic. or i other means corrugated ior interlocked superposed plates so joined by overlapping angle ironplates as to. form three 'sides of a rectangle. 'The-drivingof the plates into the earth mass is guided by an inclined ==equalization'plate whereby the plates are driven --at-an even plane,:-thereby forming a shell whose sides are permanently 'concreted or cemented. While thetunneling progresses, auxiliary frames are set up in the core of the tunnel to provide auxiliary temporary bracing means which are subsequently reinforced until the proper size of the core is obtained. The auxiliary bracing means are then replaced by permanent girders and cross beams. The flooring of the tunnel is reinforced by cross ties or beams to effect a permanent foundation for the ceiling and wall beams whereupon the roof and sides are concreted or cemented or built in, in accordance with the foregoing description.

The tunnel in its process of construction contains tracks laid therein for the transportation and removal of material and equipment- I have described an embodiment of my invention and the general way of carrying out my method, but it is clear that changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaim: I

1. lhe method of constructing subways and the like, substantially as herein described, which consists in telescopically driving forwardly a plurality of superimposed poling plates to form top and side walls of a shaft, while simultaneously setting up temporary provisional supporting framework against the formed sides'and top thereof to permit removal of the soil from the resultant shaft, adding a protective layer of building material around the plate walls and a base on the floor of the shaft, superimposing a plurality of columns horizontally and transversely of the shaft and on the base thereof, and as the telescoping progresses to form the shaft installing permanent columns adjacent the side walls and girders to support the top wall, filling in the plate structures the side walls and the foundation with a lining of building material, and finally removing the temporary framework.

2. In the method according to claim 1, the steps in which the superimposed poling plates are telescopically driven forwardly into the soil at an incline to the longitudinal axis of the subway shaft, while installing the provisional temporary framework to support the. plates constituting the top and side walls to permit further progress of said advancing of the subway shaft.

3. A method of subway construction according to claim 1, in which the walls of the core or shaft of the subway are provided with a layer of concrete for hardening the surface and reinforcing the layer in one or more planes according to the respective distance of the auxiliary frame from the end of the core.

4. A framework section substantially as herein described for tunnels and the like, comprising two spaced horizontal beams and one vertical beam, or horizontal beam and the vertical beam being joined end to end while the lower horizontal beam is adjustably engaged with the vertical beam, a vertical column supporting the top and bottom horizontal beams at one of their free ends, and a brace having a vertical column intermediaterthe vertical beam and the vertical column and parallel therewith and struts extending from the ends thereof withone arm bearing against the side beam for supporting the side and top walls of the tunnel, andscrew jacking means on the vertical columns for adjusting the same in the frame and forcing said columns upwardly against the top tunnel wall.

5. In a tunnel construction substantially as herein described, the combination with a plurality of superimposed telescopically driven corrugated top and side wall plates, of a rectangular double-sectioned framework separated at the central portion thereof, a vertical column, bearing against the top and bottom of said framework at the central portion thereof, struts extending from the top and bottom of the frame plates joining said top and side plates and forming the corners thereof, said sheets being movable relatively of one another to permit expansion of the plates, of a foundation joist at the floor of the tunnel, a plurality of spaced vertically adjustable supports, a plurality of roof beams held by said supports and adjacent in end to end relation for supporting the top plates, lateral supports bearing against the side plates and one of the vertical supports, and a central spacer support intermediate two vertical supports for retaining the same vertically against the roof beams.

'7. In a subway construction according to claim 5, a plurality of superimposed poling plates, each provided with tongues and grooves and with inclined steps, said parts serving as guides forthe adjacent plates.

8. In a subway construction according to claim 5, a plurality of poling plates each provided with.- overlapping slidable corner angle plates so that when one plate is pushed forward with respect to the other plate, an expansion by enlargement of the corner surface can take place.

9. In a construction for tunnels, a framework comprising a'plurality of rectangularly disposed frame sections for hearing against the top, bottom and side walls respectively of the tunnel, said top and bottom frame sections being in spaced apart relation at the center of the tunnel to leave free ends thereat, vertical columns adjacent each free end of the frame and disposed near the center of the tunnel and bearing against the free ends of the top and bottom walls of the tunnel, struts in connection with the braces bearing against the side sections of the framework, and jacking means on the braces extending from the bottom sections of the frame for adjusting the framework tightly against the walls of the tunnel and exerting pressure against the top, bottom, and side walls of the tunnel.

GUIDO JANSSEN. 

